A coalition of Atlanta nonprofits is extending its new food delivery program into the fall, aiming to provide an additional 20,000 meals to residents facing food insecurity.
Over the summer — as the coronavirus pandemic shuttered businesses and put thousands out of work — the Atlanta Community Food Bank and Second Helpings Atlanta launched the “Atlanta Community Kitchen Project,” which uses once-closed corporate kitchens to cook meals for families in need. Second Helpings, known for “rescuing” unused food from grocery stores and restaurants," then delivered the meals to partner organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.
In extending the program, Second Helpings and the food bank are working with ATLFamilyMeal to prepare and deliver meals to homeless shelters and food pantries across metro Atlanta. ATLFamilyMeal, a nonprofit launched at the beginning of the pandemic, works with restaurants to deliver meals to out-of-work employees in the hospitality industry.
“Food insecurity is skyrocketing in our community,” Andrea Jaron, the executive director of Second Helpings Atlanta, said in a statement. “We are able to use our expertise to partner with an impactful organization like ATLFamilyMeal and connect their generous food donations to our network of benefiting agencies.”
The program plans to deliver 20,000 meals by the end of October, officials said.
“Partnership opportunities like this are a ‘win-win-win’ that bring multiple organizations together on a united front, provide much-needed revenue for local restaurants during a time of crisis, and direct nutritious and chef-prepared meals from these restaurants to pockets of our community with the most critical food needs," said Michael Lennox, the founder and CEO of ATLFamilyMeal. He also owns Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall, Muchacho, and Golden Eagle on the Atlanta Beltline.
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